Hugs

Hugs, I've always liked them and always will. They say a lot to me , even cyber-hugs. It just means that someone cares enough to take the time to encourage you to like you or even love you even from far away.  This reminds me of when I was in a wrestling tournament during junior year at SHS. We went to Minooka for a one day meet. And as a heavyweight I went last. Well that day I was lucky enough to make it to the finals but lost and went for 3rd place. At the end, they had 2 mats side by side, 1st place match on one, 3rd on the other. When they were done you lined up by place on the podium and a bunch of cheerleaders would give you your medal and a hug. Well we had been watching this all night. As heavyweights you know, we were the fat guys who didnt even have to worry about cutting weight, or anything like that, so there really wasn't much of an uproar when we wrestled, unless the meet was on the line, then everybody cared ! LOL Well I was lucky enough that day to get 3rd place and a medal. We took our spots, and here came the cheerleaders. WhooHooo! Until they walked up with disgusted looks on their faces. They announced the kid in 4th, nobody clapped, and he kinda bent over so she could put his medal on and she just handed it to him and walked away. They did the same to me and even to the 2nd place guy and the champion. They just handed him the trophy and the poster with the brackets written on it and walked away. Maybe they were tired after being there all day, or maybe we were just the FAT guys at the end, who knows. But after watching them hugs everbody else in the finals, we were disgusted. When I got home I showed the medal to my parents, but  later, I took it and threw it out. Why ? Because it reminded me of my place in the world, and that it would probably never get better, and it hasn't sadly. That cheerleader tought me a very important lesson, one that I have never forgotten even now 30 years later.